Town Square

Women for Romney?

Original post made
by Roslin2012, Vintage Hills Elementary School,
on Oct 25, 2012

With all the attacks on Romney for his "anti-women" ideals, I just wanted some insight from women who support him.

I am a woman, and his opinions about rape and contraception concern me, but I believe that it's a bit hyperbolic to call this a "war on women." I guess my question is: is Obama really so terrible that you want to replace him with someone who is going to limit our rights?

Posted by Laura
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 25, 2012 at 2:59 pm

Roslin2012 - You ask a valid question and like you, the social issues are of a greater concern for me at this point than the economic ones so I will be casting my vote for Obama. However, my daugher, a college student, is leaning towards Romney because at this stage of her life she is more concerned with the economic issues she believes he is going to be better at dealing with. While she is concerned over his social beliefs, she is willing to take that chance and then keep her fingers crossed that he will be unble to do any damage to women's rights during his term. Whle I do not agree with her, I understand her point and believe peoples choices often are a reflection of where they are in their life at that moment.

I should mention that I have been a republican since I originally registered to vote at 18, but have always voted the issues, not the party and she is a new voter who registered as an idependent.

Posted by open your eyes
a resident of Amador Estates
on Oct 25, 2012 at 3:46 pm

The election is not about "women's rights."
It is about our individual rights and our freedom.
It is about whether America remains a free country.
It is about whether America remains strong militarily and is a beacon of freedom in the world.
It is about whether our US Constitution remains the law of our land.
It is about whether America is changed forever to a more socialist/marxist state.

This is about life and death of America.
This is not about women's private parts.
Please splash water on yourself and wake up if you think the latter.

True. The problem is that it's the Republican party that is always trying to involve itself in decisions involving "women's private parts". Women's "private parts" have only become a political issue because the Republican party chose to make it so.

Posted by well
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 25, 2012 at 5:04 pm

Well, in some ways they have. In others they haven't. For example, I don't think the republicans are suggesting banning contraception, the discussion is about who pays for it.

From a personal responsibility point of view, I would suggest men and women should pay for this themselves if they can afford it. There will always be places to offer freebies to those who really need it, but should it be an insurance issue? I don't think so. Part of the reason insurance is getting so expensive is that it has taken over our entire lives, conception, weight loss, and all the things that they advertise on TV for people to "take advantage of" etc., rather than helping with emergencies. So now even very routine things are getting more expensive, because it's all become part of the machine. I've lived many places where healthcare is much less expensive and treatment is better because it is run differently.

Abortion is so emotive, but I think the argument for many is where does life begin? Many of us have seen the ultrasounds of our children and know that certainly in the late stages of pregnancy there is a real viable living being hanging out in there. You can see the whole life cycle happen when you are pregnant - it's such a tough one to say when your body becomes not just your own for a little while. It's not black and while and I don't think Romney from his actual actions would do anything radical to women's rights.

Posted by Really?
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 25, 2012 at 5:11 pm

Im surprised no one has mentioned the goal Romney has making conservative supreme court appointments and his many statements starting in 2007 that he will fight to overturn Roe vs. Wade. So often I hear from many GOP wanting less government involved in their lives, to think the Government will have more rights over a woman's body than the individual is frightening, and so hypocritical of the party.

Posted by Perspective
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 25, 2012 at 5:15 pm

For me it's economy first, economy second, and economy third, so definitely Romney is my first, second, and third choice.
Besides, I don't want a president who didn't plan for extra 9-11 security in the middle of a raging mid-east.

It is interesting that Romneys tax plan has been evaluated and mostly discredited by every non political or bi-partisan economic group that has run the numbers....yet he is the economic saviour.Funny how that works.

Posted by well
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 25, 2012 at 6:16 pm

Well, we've seen Obama in action for 4 years and his promises have been thoroughly discredited and he's added TRILLIONS to the deficit and wants to spend more, so perhaps it's time to give someone else a chance.

If Romney can't do better, I'll vote him out with you, but hopefully we will get someone more business focused on the democratic side, which is how I used to vote anyhow.

I can't believe how small businesses have been demonized over the past few years and they are our future, they are the foundation of America. This is the reason we work hard - there was a future if you tried. Our future generations deserve much better than the crushing debt we are incurring and the overregulation we are promised.

I've never been so depressed before an election. No hope really. Both candidates are awful and I can see big trouble ahead no matter who wins as Obama has been artificially controlling the economy and both parties haven't done any work in about two years. I'm totally sick of it, but will vote for Romney, because underneath all the Republican bluster, I can see a person who just might be what we need to straighten this ship out. Like Obama though, he has one chance as far as I'm concerned.

Posted by Roslin2012
a resident of Vintage Hills Elementary School
on Oct 25, 2012 at 9:12 pm

Thank you for your responses. It seems that a lot of people are mostly upset with the economic situation. It makes sense that people would want change (again) after the way things have been going, and that Romney will be the candidate to make that happen. I agree that his plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, and those concerning other such women's rights issues, may not be a problem if he is elected as long as the other branches of government keep him in check.

However, I don't think Romney is our "economic saviour," I think Obama can pull us out of this as long as the legislative branch lets him do his job.

Also, "open your eyes," it may not be all about women's rights, but it is an issue that is important to me.

Posted by Hannah
a resident of Foothill Farms
on Oct 26, 2012 at 6:37 am

This election is very much about women's rights, among other things. I do not want Romney selecting the next couple of supreme court members who will be committed to overturning women's rights as defined in roe v. wade.

When people say only the economy is on their mind and will influence the vote, they are also then saying they don't care about health care for women and children. All they care about is their own pocketbook, and that's a sad statement on America in 2012. That people dismiss the importance of women's rights because all they can think about is their own money in the bank. Sad.

All is moot, anyway. The Princeton Election Consortium, which has put over a quadrillion variables into computer, give Romney less than a 1 in 10 chance of winning the presidency. Women are not going to vote for Romney, nor is anyone else who values human rights over tax cuts for the rich. Romney is toast, and as a woman I am greatly relieved.

Posted by Hannah
a resident of Foothill Farms
on Oct 26, 2012 at 7:41 am

So you're okay with a couple supreme court appointents that will likely overturn roe v. wade? Because of the economy, right? You're either joking or not thinking. The economy and rights, eh? Like I say, you're either a jokester or someone who needs to think out her position more fully than you have.

Posted by well
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 26, 2012 at 8:12 am

I don't think that the supreme court will overturn roe vs. wade and will not make that one issue my whole voting platform. No way.

There are much more important and real issues ahead of us. The economy and the rights of future generations, yes! You would understand if you did some research yourself on what one trillion in debt means and then add another 15 trillion (Bush - who I despise - added a lot, but Obama added 6 without blinking) and look at the trajectory of debt vs GDP.

But because everything "feels" OK to you (because it's been completely manufactured by the Fed for Obama), you think it's OK to ignore the issue. Sorry it is not. Look at Japan and Europe if you need examples of where we are headed. If you have children you should understand.

Can you not see how unfair it is that children in school are getting a crap education compared to the older generation and have limited job choices than the older generation. Do you have any idea how much this debt costs us in interest? Do you have any idea how much the public sector pensions are costing our children? This is how selfish we're being. Oh yeah, it's all about "women's rights" . . . They're in so much danger in the US. In rhetoric maybe, not in reality.

Posted by Hannah
a resident of Foothill Farms
on Oct 26, 2012 at 8:32 am

Well, first off, you're not a woman. That's obvious. And the way you dismiss the importance of roe v. wade suggests you are a woman hater as well. Second, you're content to put your head in the sand while Romney wants to add 7 trillion more in debt. Third, I don't see my two beautiful kids getting a 'crap' education. One is currently at Stanford, the other is applying to Cal Berkeley among others. You are so twisted up with hatred that you're unable to think straight. Thankfully, you belong to an old breed that is dying off. As far as the election goes, your candidate has lost. There simply are not enough haters out there to push him over the top.

Posted by liberalism is a disease
a resident of Birdland
on Oct 26, 2012 at 9:04 amliberalism is a disease is a registered user.

Wow, Hannah, the lengths you'll go to to be able to kill unborn babies....what kind of sick mind considers that a priority? In any case, it's probably best you don't reproduce any more. You might want to try abstaining or go to WalMart and get yourself some condoms and/or birth control pills.
I wonder if your kids know about your past mistakes that have lead to your current warped mindset.

Posted by well
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 26, 2012 at 9:15 am

I am a woman, I have three beautiful children. I stay at home to look after them. I am seeing their elementary education destroyed before my very eyes. Class sizes up to 30 and everything getting cut.

You sound wealthy. I am not wealthy (because I stay home and look after my young children) and our family has gone through the ringer because of this economy - we almost lost everything and did not ask for a dime from the government and did not walk from our home, we're not handout people, ever.

Sorry you feel you need to attack people who disagree with you. But not every woman agrees with your points, sorry. And congrats on your children's education. My tax dollars (I used to earn a lot more) helped them get there unless they went to private school. Now my kids are young and the tax dollars are gone, spent by idiots, and you are lecturing to me about feminism. Not interested. There are other things going on in the world.

And don't you dare say I'm not a woman - that is incredibly rude and insulting to me, my family and my children. Now it's time for me to volunteer my time at school.

Posted by Hannah
a resident of Foothill Farms
on Oct 26, 2012 at 9:29 am

Dear 'Well' (which is an ironic name you have chosen),

I implore you to please stay away from classrooms. It's not good for the kids, yours as well as those of others. You and lib-is-disease, assuming you're not one and the same, might try to hook-up for a good old fashioned hatefest. Oh, yes, and I continue to believe you are not a woman. So sorry.

Posted by Roslin2012
a resident of Vintage Hills Elementary School
on Oct 26, 2012 at 11:03 am

If someone cares more about the economy than women's rights, then it doesn't mean that they don't care about women's rights altogether. I definitely don't understand their priorities, but it doesn't make them wrong.

Ooo, education, I love that this was brought up. I am a student, and I can safely say that "well," your tax dollars didn't help me get to college. At all. In fact, I know firsthand that all of your tax dollars were probably used by the school in some asinine way. As in they didn't go to teacher pay or classroom resources. It's funny, because here they complain about not getting enough money, and then they mess up their budget. This makes me apprehensive about funding education because, while education is one of the most important issues to me, I am not confident that the schools use the money wisely.

Yes, the economy is important and needs to be fixed, but for me, rights and education are the most important issues.

Posted by well
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 26, 2012 at 12:30 pm

I agree with you Roslin, education money has been totally mis-spent. It doesn't mean I haven't paid a lot of taxes for it over the years.

If you're in college now, you probably enjoyed a better K-12 education than my children will have. I did too - I had art, music, library, PE, a much longer school day and more. If you're paying attention a lot has been cut from school districts even though the overall CA budget keeps going up. I heard in a school board meeting that the government owes Pleasanton about 11 million dollars.

I am also apprehensive about measures saying that they are funding education when they may very well move money in one door and out the other. Undecided.

Posted by Jaclyn F.
a resident of Del Prado
on Oct 26, 2012 at 4:28 pm

I simply cannot wait until the current crop of bible belt thumping, Christian "Right" so-called conservatives and their myopic view of limiting their support to Pro Life, anti-gay marriage and other non-essential social issues fade into obscurity and the TRUE conservatives who espouse a platform of limited government, lower taxation, American sovereignty/border protection, limited foreign aid, domestic energy production and truly work to help and aid small businesses finally gain control of the GOP.

I am sick and tired of this (or any) government and their belief that they can legislate morality and stifle independent personal freedom and personal responsibility only to replace it with a big brother, big sister, cradle-to-the-grave dependency of the citizenry.

Just a reminder to all you "so called" conservatives, it was Barry Goldwater himself that when his daughter Joanne became pregnant he gave his full support of her decision to terminate the pregnancy stating that it was neither his nor the governments role to dictate personal, morale issues upon the free will of citizens.

Posted by Hannah
a resident of Foothill Farms
on Oct 27, 2012 at 4:07 am

Without the bible thumping crowd, Romney couldn't garner 20% of the vote. He'd be left waving out in the wind like Ron Paul. Face it, aside from a few right wing ideologues who think 1890s or 1920s capitalism is a good thing, all the Republican Party has is the good ol' white boys from the southern states and a bunch of pathetically ignorant women who think their proper role in life is to serve men.

"Well" (who clearly isn't). In answer to your question: Yes.

So, Roslin, what high school are you attending? Or is it middle school?

Posted by Arroyo
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 27, 2012 at 7:16 am

Geez Hannah,

Why don't you get some counseling -- too much rage! (If Romney wins, you're not going to do harm to yourself, are you?)

Women's issues are but one aspect of things that will be affected by the upcoming election. It's not all about women's issues, government funded contraceptives, abortions, Roe v Wade, etc.

I'm worried about the millions of people without jobs, those losing their homes in foreclosure, the problems in the Middle East, out-of-control spending, etc. That's what drives my vote.

Remember, how wonderful it was during the "old white guy, Bible Thumper from the South" Jimmy Carter years - Turmoil in Iran, high gas prices -- those years were painful. If we had better decisions by JC, it's possible that we might not be worrying today about Iran. He embraced the return to power of the Ayatollah Khomeini, while our employees at the Iranian Embassy were being held hostage for over 400 days. We're still paying the price for his misguided decisions. I would like to remind you that it took a Republican white guy, who was not from the South, nor a bible thumper, to restore the economy, break up the Soviet Union, and to polish the image of the USA around the world.

By the way, I'm not a "bible-thumper", nor from "The South", but I am white and married to a brilliant woman, who just happens to be a registered Republican.

Posted by Roslin2012
a resident of Vintage Hills Elementary School
on Oct 27, 2012 at 5:32 pm

It states very clearly next to my name that I go to Vintage Hills, Hannah. In fact, I believe we were in agreement, though I had to pick through your insults to get to your views. You opinions are sound and respectful, it's too bad I can't say the same about you as a human being. I suggest you express your blatant dislike for conservatives by not voting for them instead of not respecting them.

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